Advertising sign system



' Dec. 27, 1927. 1,654,255

w. F. HENDRY ADVERTISING SIGN SYSTEM Filed Oct. 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //7 van for 5 .it /zj/ Dec. 27, 1927. 1,654,255

W. F. HENDRY ADVERTISING SIGN SYSTEM Filed Oct. 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 invenfor b I "Q 5 y vi/5 Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES j 1,654,255 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM IE. HENIJRY, OF OSSINING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T MANHATTAN ELECTRI- CAL SUPPLY.COMPAN 'Y, INC., A. CORPORATION OF MASSAQHUSETTS.

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Application filed October 2, 1326. herlal K0. 139,223.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in systems for advertising signs and particularly to one adapted for use with luminous tube signs.

a The present invention provides for the ready installation and removal of the luminous tubes making up the sign; means for the proper spacing of such tubes; protection oi electrlcal parts against water, dust;

' in eta; suitable mounting for, electrical cireait controllers; and other features the nature of which will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the lit appended claims. a

In the drawings Fig. -1 is a perspective view (with parts broken away) of a complete sign display; Fig. 2 schematically illustrates'the circuit connections; and Fig. 20 3 is a perspective view showing the mounting of a circuit controller.

Neon filled luminous letters such as 1 are mounted in a metal housing open at the front and having a top 2, a back 3 and a bottom 4. The top 2 has a bent down ,edge 5 which with an angle piece 6 fastened to the top 2 constitutes a slide for templates such as 7. Slightly to the rear, another slide 8 is fastened to the top 2 for diaphragms such as 9. These two slides run to the full width of the housing Where it is desired to mount letters 1. The diaphragm plates 9 are bent at right angles at the bottom into a toe 10 which slides between flat :5 steel strips 11 and 12 which, together with an L-shaped steel strip 13,- are held against the edge of the bottom plate 4 of the housing by means of screws such, as 14. By tightening the screws 14, the diaphragms may be securely held in place against all displacements.

The lateral edges of each diaphragm 9 are provided with marginal folds 17 and 18 which are bent, (in opposite directions) at a 45 slight angle with respect to the plane of the dia hragm. When a diaphragm 9 is pushed into the slide 8, its told 18 will glide under the fold 17 of the adjacent diaphragm. In this manner the center lines of adjacent diaphragms may be displaced with respect to each other as may be-necessary for the proper spacing of adjacent letters.

The lower edge-ofeach template 7 over- I3 and is held in place by a clamplng strip hangs the vertical leg of the-bshaped strip secured by screws 16. By removing a clamping strip 15, the template 7 may be removed from the housing.

Each diaphragm 9 has a central perforation through which a'bolt or rod 19 projects by means of which a socket 20 of porcelain or other insulating material may be held against the diaphragm. The socket has two large openings 21 and 22 which are in alignment with openings 23 and 24 in the diaphragm. The bolt l9v projects through the socket and carries at its protruding end a coiled spring 25 which may be placed under tension by a nut 26 to press the socket against the diaphragm. However, the face of the socket 20 is spaced by means of projections 27 whereby water, dust, etc., will fall down between diaphragm and socket instead of entering the openings 21 and 22.

A suitably bent spring 28, 29 projects into each opening and serves to make contact with and frictionally to hold in place the electrodes 30, 31 of a letter 1. The rear ends 32, 33 of these springs, projecting through openings 21, 22 are bent at right angles and are fastened to bosses (only one is shown) 34 of the socket 20. Springs 32 and 33 contact, respectively, with bus bars 35 and 36 which are supported on the back plate 3 by angles such as 37 of insulating material. If the alignment of the letters is not as desired, the socket of any letter ma be turned around bolt 19 to the right or left. A bend 38 in the ends of springs 32 and 33 will keep them from being moved out of contact with the bus bars.

The templates 7 are cut out to display the letters 1. The ends of the housing are closed by caps 39.

The circuit arrangement of the sign is shown in Fig. 2. All the sockets 20 are connected by means of their springs 32 and 33 in parallel across the bus bars 35 and 36. The bar 35 is connected through a conductor 40 With'a spring 41 which contacts with a terminal 42 of the secondary winding 43 of an induction coil. The other bar 36 is connected through conductors 46 and 47 with a spring 44 which contacts with the other terminal of secondary 43. One end of the primary winding 48 is connected with the secondary 43, and the other end with a back contact 49 engagingqan armature 50 which may be vibrated by the magnetic core connected with a terminal 52 provided on a plates to permit displacement in overlappingbox 53enclosing the induction coil.

A spring 54 contacting with terminal 52 isconnected through conductor 55 with one terminal of the secondary winding of a transformer 56, theother terminal of said secondary being connected with conductor 46. If the transformer primary is connected with an alternating current source of 110 volts, the bus bars 35, 36 will be supplied with high frequency current through the agency of the induction coil whlch opens and closes-its primary circuit 48 at the interrupter 49, 50, and the letters will be rendered luminous.

The induction coil is mounted within the housing near the end cap 39. By means of partitions 57 and 58 a compartment is formed within which the box 53 maybe placed so that its terminals 42, 45 and 52 will contact with the springs 41, 44 and 54. The springs 41 and 44 are mounted on partition 57 properly insulated therefrom, and the spring 54 is mounted on partition 58 insulated by block 59. Thetransformer 56 is mounted on the bottom .4 of the housing.

The transformer primary may be connected with the alternating current source through a cord 60 passing through an open ing in the bottom wall 4 of the housing. At this end, the housing is enclosed by a front wall 61.

The complete sign may be sent to the user readily assembled for connection with an electric light socket. The sign letters may be changed by removing a few screws, and the coil box is at all times accessible by removing the end cap 39.

By virtue of the slidable diaphragms the signletters may be spaced a proper distance apart and by means of the rotatable mounting of the sockets the letters can be properly positioned in relation to the templates which outline the letters.

WhatI claim is:

1. In a housing for luminous sign letters,

a socket for each letter, a plate for each socket, a, shaft onv said plate rotatably supporting the socket, means for mounting said relation to each other, contact springs in said sockets, and bus bars contacting with said contact spgings in all positions of said plates and soc ets.

2. In a support for luminous sign letters,

ably mounting each of said sockets on said plate.

3. In a housing-for luminous sign letters, a socket for each letter, means for mounting placement of said sockets, contact springs in a guiding member,

said sockets, and stationary bus bars engaged by said contacts in all positions of said sockets.

4. In a mounting for luminous signs of the two-electrode type, a socket within which the electrodes may be placed, contact sprin s within said socket for-resiliently holding in place said electrodes, and means for rotatably supporting said socket on said mounting. 5

5. In a mounting for luminous signs of the two-electrode t pe, a socket having two large openings within which the electrodes may be placed and a central perforation be tween said openings, contact 5 rings within said openin s for resiliently ho ding in place said electro es, a plate having 0 enings corresponding to those in said soc et, projections on the face of said socket, a rod projecting through said plate and said central perforation in said socket, resilient means pressing the face of said socket against said plate, a stationary bus bar above and below said socket, and an extension for each of said contact springs frictionally engaging said bus bars.

6. In a mounting for luminous signs of the two-electrode type, a socket having two large openings within which the electrodes may be placed and a central perforation berojecbar above and below said socket, and an ex-' tension for each of said contact springs frictionally engaging said bus bars, the ends of said extensions being bent at substantially lr)ight angles to overhang the adjacent bus 7. In a mounting for luminous signs of the two-electrode type, a housin open at the front, two bus bars mounted in said housing on the rear wall thereof, a plurality of diaphragms having two openings for the passa e of electrodes and oppositely bent lateral fo ds, a slide in the top of the housing with which the top edge of each diahragm cooperates, clamping means in the bottom of said housing cooperating with the lower edges of said diaphragms, a socket for each sign, a bolt projecting through said diaphragm and said socket, a coiled spring on said bolt pressing said socketagainst said diaphragm, spacers between said socket and dia hr'agm, contact springs mounted on said soc et and frictionally engaging said bus bars, a casing comprising a circuit intersaid sockets to permit lateral and rotary dis-I rupter and induction coil, 9. compartment in bus' bars projecting within said compartment, a transformer in said housing, and a connection to said transformer projecting within said compartment.

8.: In a mounting for luminous signs of the two-electrode type, a housing open at the front, two bus bars mounted in said housing on the rear wall thereof, a plurality of diaphragms having two openings for the assage of electrodes and oppositely bent ateral folds, a slide in the top of the housing with which the top edge of each diaphragm cooperates, clamping means in the ottom of said housing cooperating with the lower edges of said dia hragms, a. socket for each sign, a bolt pro3ecting through said diaphragm and said socket, a coiled spring on said bolt pressing said socket against said diaphragm, spacers between said socket and dia hragm, contact springs mounted on said soc etand irictionally en aging said bus bars, and a circuit control er. for said bus bars mounted in said housing.

9. In a mounting for luminous signs of the two-electrode type, a housing open at the front, two bus bars mounted in said housing on the rear wall thereof. a plurality of bottom of said housing cooperating with the lower edges of said. diaphragms, 'a socket for each sign, a bolt projecting through said diaphragm and the socket, a coiled spring on said bolt pressing said socket against said diaphragm, spacers between said socket and diaphragm, contact springs mounted on said socket and frictionally engaging said bus bars, a plurality of templates cut out to display said signs,'means for removably attaching said templates to the front of said housing, a casin comprising a circuit interru ter and in uction coil, a compartment in said housing for said casing, contacts at said bus bars projecting within said compartmcnt, a transformer in said housing, and

a connection to said transformer projecting within said compartment.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 1st day of October, 1926.

WILLIAM F. HENDRYv 

